This month's issue of Live Well, Work Well features National Autism Awareness Month, budget tools, tips for using old produce and National Park Week.

1. Providedby:
Whether you
choose an app,
online calculator or
automatic transfer,
budgeting doesn’t
have to be painful.
April Is Awareness Month for
Autism Spectrum Disorder
April is designated as National Autism
Awareness Month, and April 2 is World
Autism Awareness Day. These observances
are intended to raise awareness about autism
spectrum disorders (ASDs). According to the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 1 in 88 children in the
United States have ASD, and the diagnosis is
far more common among boys than girls.
Despite autism being so common, many
people do not know exactly what autism is.
According to the CDC, ASDs are a group of
developmental disabilities that cause social,
communication and behavioral challenges.
“Spectrum” refers to the wide range of
symptoms and levels of impairment that
those
diagnosed with ASDs can have. The National
Institute of Mental Health lists five autistic
spectrum disorders: autistic disorder (classic
autism), Asperger's disorder (Asperger
syndrome), pervasive developmental disorder
not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), Rett's
disorder (Rett syndrome) and childhood
disintegrative disorder (CDD).
Research has yet to pinpoint the cause of
ASDs, but studies suggest that both genes
and environment are likely contributing
factors.
Genes. Although family history does not
seem to affect or predict an ASD diagnosis,
once one sibling is diagnosed with an ASD,
other siblings have 35 times the usual risk of
also developing an ASD.
Environment. The environment includes
anything surrounding your body that can
affect your health, including water, air, food,
medications and other materials you may
come in contact with. Environmental
influences on ASDs are still being
researched, but various factors may each play
a small role in ASD development.
There has been some concern that childhood
vaccines cause ASDs. Although there may be
other unknown causes of ASDs, the CDC
states that there is no causal relationship
between childhood vaccines and ASDs.
Several regulatory bodies, including the
CDC, continue to monitor vaccines for safety
and effectiveness.
Early detection and diagnosis of an ASD is
essential for providing the most effective
treatment. Make sure an ASD screening is
part of your child’s wellness checkups.
Budget Tools: Make It Easy
If you don’t enjoy crunching numbers and sticking to budgets, there are a variety of budgeting
tools available that can help make budgeting—and improving financial health—easy, and maybe
even fun.
Apps – Easy and convenient, an app on your mobile device can help you track your budgeting
and savings goals. Many different apps are available—for example, Mint (www.mint.com) tracks
expenses according to category, and Check (https://check.me) helps you meet bills’ due dates.
Online calculators – Basic online budget calculators can help you see where your money goes.
You can spend a few minutes entering numbers into budget categories to give yourself a good
overview of your finances. Simply search online for “budget calculator” to find a calculator that
works for you.
Automatic transfers – The easiest way to increase your savings is to make it automatic and
painless. Simply set up an automatic deposit to a savings account and then check in from time to
time to see how a little bit each month can add up to great savings.
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Rescue Old Produce
The bananas on the counter have turned brown, the apples are no longer crisp
and the tomatoes have definitely seen better days. You might be tempted to
just throw old, shriveled fruits and vegetables in the trash or compost bin, but
pause before you do. Even when they’re past their prime, many fruits and
veggies can still be put to nutritious use. In some cases, older fruit and
veggies might even be better. For these delicious dishes, you won’t need any
tools that you don’t already have sitting in your kitchen.
Applesauce – Applesauce is made by cooking chopped apples in a small
amount of water on the stovetop. Simmer and mash apples with a potato
masher until they reach desired chunkiness. You can add strawberries, pears
or other fruits for different flavors, as well as cinnamon or a splash of vanilla.
Breads – Bananas, apples and zucchini are just a few of the fruits and
vegetables that can be incorporated into bread or cake recipes. Grate or mash
and add to a more traditional recipe, or search for a recipe that is built around
a particular fruit. Shredded apple and zucchini are also great pancake
additions.
Pies – Traditionally, pies can be made with any type of filling inside a pastry.
Use a pre-made or homemade crust and mix together a fruit filling with those
soft apples, berries or other fruits. Check out a cookbook for more ideas.
Smoothies – For a cold, nutritious treat, blend a variety of fruits and
vegetables into smithereens. Any type of fruit or vegetable can be thrown into
the blender and churned into a cold treat. Alter the ratio of different fruits,
and try adding milk, yogurt, ice, vanilla or honey to change up the flavors.
Baked Trout
This flavorful dish takes advantage of seasonal tomatoes
and healthy fish. Whether you buy fillets at the store or reel
‘em in on a line, here’s a great recipe to celebrate spring.
• 2 lbs. trout fillets (or other fish, cut into six pieces)
• 3 tbsp. lime juice (or about 2 limes)
• 1 tomato (medium, chopped)
• 1⁄2 onion (medium, chopped)
• 3 tbsp. cilantro (chopped)
• 1⁄2 tsp. olive oil
• 1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
• 1⁄4 tsp. salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. red pepper (optional)
Preheat oven to 350° F. Rinse fish and pat dry. Place in
baking dish. In a separate dish, mix remaining ingredients
together and pour over fish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or
until fork-tender.
Yield: 6 servings. Each serving provides 300 calories, 13g
of fat, 110mg of cholesterol, 200mg of sodium and 1g of
fiber.
Source: USDA
National Park Week
Are you bored with getting your exercise by strolling around the
neighborhood or running at the local gym? The U.S. National Park Services
has preserved vast pieces of American land that are the perfect places to get
outside and be active, whether it’s the majestic Yellowstone National Park in
the West or the lesser-known Big Bend National Park in Texas with its
hundreds of bird species.
The opening weekend of National Park Week is April 19-20, and both days
are get-in-free days. Visit www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm to find a park
near you or to plan a trip. With great scenery and many options, you can
choose a park where you can enjoy a quiet stroll, a vigorous hike, a bike ride,
or a horse ride. You can also find spots to go rock climbing and swimming.
With more than 400 spots around the nation, the national parks are some of
the best pieces of American nature and history. What better way to get your
family outside and moving in the spring air than by visiting a national park?